After the COVID-19 pandemic has brought under control in Da Nang, healthcare facilities across the city have boostered their medical examination, counseling and treatment of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). This helps patients with NCDs, especially older adults who have difficulty walking access better healthcare services, reduce their treatment costs as well as reduce complications caused by NCDs.

A healthcare professional at Hoa Vang District’s Hoa Tien Commune Medical Station conducting a medical examination for a male senior patient. Photo: PHAN CHUNG

Hoa Vang District’s Hoa Tien Commune Medical Station has reactivated its medical examination, counseling and treatment services for local patients with NCDs. Initial data from this medical station shows that the number of patients who register for medical examination and treatment services for NCDs in a month is 120, the majority of whom suffer from high blood pressure and diabetes.

Doctor Dinh Thi Kim Thong, the Deputy Head of the Hoa Tien Commune Medical Station, treatment of NCDs is one of the key tasks of the grassroots health care facilities. However, this service was disrupted due to COVID-19 as all healthcare workers and medical resources were prioritized to fighting the pandemic. The station sees a large number of patient visits return after re-activating this service.

“The medicines are available for patients with NCDs. Every day, the Hoa Tien Commune Medical Station sees the involvement of a doctor in offering treatment for such patients. In addition, a doctor is sent to the station on Wednesdays to perform ultrasound and electrocardiogram examinations for patients. Further tests at Da Nang’s hospitals will be recommended for patients diagnosed with NCDs, and they will come back to the station for treatment after receiving their confirmed suspected diagnosis" said Doctor Thong.

Doctor Nguyen Dai Vinh, the Director of Hoa Vang District Medical Center said that in their efforts to strengthen treatment of NCDs, the grassroots health care facilities have focussed on increasing publicity for such service, and distributing leaflets to all local residents across the district .

Doctor Nguyen Trong Phuong, the Director of the Hai Chau District Medical Center highlighted the important role of the ward-level medical stations to early detection and management of non-communicable diseases in their local areas in order to help such patients reduce time to treatment and healthcare costs, as well as minimize complications in them.

Doctor Nguyen Ngoc Anh from the Da Nang Center for Disease Control and Prevention remarked that the city has taken necessary measures for early detection and intervention for patients with NCDs, especially hypertension and diabetes. In addition, the city has given special attention to raising public awareness about prevention of these diseases.

In 2022, the grassroots healthcare facilities across Da Nang plan to monitor the health of over 22,000 patients, about 4,000 of whom have been diagnosed with NCDs so far this year.

The local people are advised to change old habits to new healthier ones as well as improve eating and physical activity habits in a bid to provide significant benefits for their health. Included are increasing physical activity, sticking to a healthy diet, stopping drinking and smoking in order to prevent and control NCDs. In addition, patients should watch out for NCD symptoms in them in an attempt to access healthcare services for timely diagnosis and treatment.

Reporting by PHAN CHUNG – Translating by H.L